Offense, Pitching Carry Baseball to Sweep of Alfred

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team outscored Alfred, 31-1, over two games while the Leopard pitching staff allowed just eight hits and struck out 23 batters as Wentworth swept the Saxons, 15-1 and 16-0.

GAME ONE:  Wentworth 15, Alred 1

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After a scoreless first inning, Wentworth scored twice in the bottom of the second inning, thanks to a two-run double from freshman Bennett Leary (Alamo, Calif.).
• Alfred cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the third on an RBI fielder's choice, however, Wentworth responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning as sophomore Matt McDuff (Riverside, R.I.) had an RBI single and scored on a wild pitch. Sophomore Matthew Favazzo (Billerica, Mass.) hit a double, went to third on a wild pitch, and came home when senior A.T. DiPina (Pawtucket, R.I.) reached on an error. DiPina swiped home on a double steal, and senior Michael Petit (Sandwich, Mass.) scored on an RBI single from classmate Ryan Putney (Exeter, N.H.).
• The fourth inning saw the Black & Gold scored four times in the fourth as DiPina had an RBI double and scored when sophomore Matt Robinson (Mystic, Conn.) reached on an error. Putney drove in Robinson with a single and Leary had an RBI double to score Putney.
• Favazzo scored on a wild pitch in the fifth and added three in the sixth when McDuff and Favazzo each had RBI singles and DiPina reached on an error to score junior Devon Lapierre (Dover, N.H.).
• Freshman Jacob DeCoste (Medfield, Mass.) picked up the win in his first collegiate start. Pitching five innings, he allowed one run on three hits and struck out 10. At the plate, McDuff and Leary each had three hits. Leary drove in three runs as well.

GAME TWO:  Wentworth 16, Alfred 0

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Carrying the momentum from the first game, Wentworth scored four times in the first inning to grab an early, 4-0, lead. Freshman Christian Roncal (Glendale, Ariz.) had an RBI double, senior Christian Peruzzi (Plymouth, Mass.) and freshman John Golebieski (Seymour, Conn.) each had RBI singles, while Golebieski can in to steal home on a delayed double steal.
• In the third inning, Peruzzi led off with a walk, went to second on a ground out, and moved to third on a passed ball. Senior Griffin Cournan (Pembroke, Mass.) struck out, however, an errant throw allowed him to reach and scored Peruzzi. With two outs, graduate student Aaron Lundgren (Portsmouth, Mass.) hit a two-run single to make it 7-0.
• Favazzo delivered an RBI single in the fourth and Wentworth scored three times in the fifth as junior Jake Prisco (Bridgewater, Mass.) tripled to drive in Lundgren and scored on an error and Favazzo doubled in Roncal.
• Roncal hit a two-run single in the fifth and he, along with Prisco, scored when Favazzo reached on an error. A bases-loaded hit by pitch for sophomore Nick Cullinan (Sandy Hook, Conn.) rounded out the scoring.
• Junior Brady Aubuchon (Westminster, Mass.) picked up the win (1-1), allowing zero runs on three hits, and striking out nine in four innings of relief. Junior Matt Silvia (Fall River, Mass.) got the start, striking out three and allowing zero hits in three innings. Ferrara and Aubuchon combined to not allow a hit over the first 5.1 innings. Roncal, Favazzo, and Cullinan each had two hits. Roncal drove in three, while Peruzzi and Lundgren each drove in two.

ALL-TIME SERIES:

• Today marked the first two meetings between the two teams.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth concludes its spring break trip with a doubleheader against Alfred Friday morning.

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